Improvement in obeasing-apfaratub foe sewing-machines



@garten gisten arent @time 5 J er Letters Patent No. 77,972, dater? lfag/ I9, 1868; antedatecl llfayA 5, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN GREASING-APPAEATUS FOR SEWINGrMAGlIINES.

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IO ALL T0 WHO THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

Be it known that I, H. W. FULLER, of the State, coun ty, and city of New York, havo invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tucl:.-Creasing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part` of this specification.

Mysaid invention relates to the creasing or marking-apparatus, composed primarily of nippingiingers or points, and that creases or marks the fabric by producing a succession of nips o r pinches thereof while it is 1 moved along in any suitable manner. i

The first part of my invention consists in the mode of conveying motion to the marking-device. The second, in combining wit-h the lever carrying the marking-device a fulcrum, or axis of motion, having a fixed position. The third,'in having the set-screw for the longitudinaladjustment of said lever placed at the centre of said fulerum. The fourth. in the .combination with such lever, having a fixed fulcruni, ofa spring, which may be adjusted in elasticity or power relatively with the said fulcruml The fth, in. the arrangementof the spring, with respect to the lever and its fulcrum, so that the act of adjusting the lever (longer or shorter) will also adjust the power of the spring. The sixth, in so attaching the points to the lever which carries them, that they may be readily detached, and others substituted, by a person unskilled. The seventh, in guarding and protecting the points by a. suitable rest. AI he eighth, in the combination with such rest of a' removable key, to regulate the spread .of the points. A

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same;

Referring to the annexeddrawing, i

Figure 1 is o. side elevation.

Figure 2 is a top view, with a self-sewer attached.

Figure 3 shows a modification, of' simple construction, though less ecient in action.`

The marking or creasing-device is attached to a lever, A. Said leveris capable of a vibrating motion, usually imparted in one direction (either up or down) by a spring, and in the other by the needle-arm or bal', or some other moving -part of asewingmachine, in connection with which it is generally employed.

To or near the outer end of the lever A are attached, in a suitable manner, the nipping-points g g. Said points are arranged in diagonal positions, as to the surface of the fabric, and the bed or plate which supports it. Thel point g I have set at a greater angle than its mate, g, by bending the lever A at A2, or otherwise, the object being to cause the material from which the crease or ridge is formed to he drawn more from this end of the marker than the other. u

The axis of vibration of the lever A is in a rock-shaft, it being drilled through at I, (iig. 2,) for the recepi tion of such lever, which `passies through the shaft, and projects beyond. Said rock-shaft has its bearings in uprights D1, a part of a frame, D. Between tho rear portion,'A1, `of the lever A, and the base of the frame l), is a strong elliptic spring, E, which exerts its force on the lever A, to throw the outward end with the marker towards the fabric, while itis supported on plate Fror the bod of a sewing-machine, indicated by a dotted line, C. The centre of the rook-shaft and fulcrum of the lever A is elevated considerably above the horizontal line of the plate F, the object of which is to give the lever A a downward pitch, when at its lowest position, in order that, when' drawn outward from the rock-shaft, such pitch will bealtered, and the spring E compressed and stiiened, and, when pushed inward, towards the fulcrum, thc spring will be expanded and exible, thus making a self-compensating arrangement, by which, as the marker is moved farther from the fulcruni, where increased power is wanted, the power of the spring is increased, and decreased when moved towards the fulcrum, where less strengthisrequired.` The spring is also movable towards and from the falerum, to increase or decrease its strength, and provide .for variations in the character of fabrics.

It is desirable that the range of mot-ion of the marker should rem-'ain n'early the same under all circuml stances. I therefore prefer to give the fulcrumcf the lever A a ixed position, when attached to a sewingmachine, in order that the place of imparting motion to the lever (as by the needle-screw may remain at the same distance from said fulcrum, and thus avoid 'any great variation in the range of motion, as aforesaid.

The lever A is held firmly in the rock-shaft by a set-screw, 2, (tig. 2,) This screw, if located on the periphery of the rock-shaft, or in any other piace where there is much motion, would be liable to be loosened by the vibrations of the lever and marker. A'.lo prevent such loosening, it is placed in the centre of the rockshaft, whereby its motion is greatly reduced, and rendered harmless.

A3 is a twin-lever, fixed in the rock-shaft, and serves to equalize the bearingv of the spring E. The mode of conveying motion to the lever and marking-device` is very important. I use a spring, E,of considerable strength or power, and thereby secure a greater reliability of action of the marker under all circumstances. In order to retain and utilize this power, and also prevent the marker, where attached to a sewing-machine, from offering any unusual impediment to the operation of such machine, I employ a inode of causing the power exerted in overcoming the resistance of the spring, or operating the marker, tobe exerted thronghout'a considerable extentof the motion of that part of thc sewing-machine which moves it, and so reduce this-amount of movement at least one-half inconveying motion to the marker.

To accomplish this, I combine with the apparatus an actuative-lever, H, which is pivoted at 3, and hence is very short in the rear of the fnlcrum, as compared with its length in front thereof. When its outwardend is raised by the screw 4, on the needle-bar I, or otherwise, and the rear end presses on the rear end of the lever A, throwing up the outer end of the said lever and the marker, such marker will have much less movement than the lever H, and this decrease of motion results in a gain in power. The gain in power enables me to overcome easily the resistance of a spring, E, and also furnishes the best mode of forcing the marker down to crease the fabric, with or without a spring to raise it. v

The points ggof the marker arc arranged in a diagonal position as to the fabric they nip and crease, and, in order to have the fold or ridge formed on the fabric as sharp and well defined as possible, the points are shaped as shown at 5, in iig. 1, in order so to nip and pinch the fabric as to compress the ridge atthe very point of folding. Without vthis compression of tbe edge of the fold, the crease soon vanishes. With it, the crease will remain as long as required.

For family use, .the points will seldom or never 'need renewal; but in manufactories, where tucked work is extensively made, the apparatus often receives rough usa-ge. I therefore provide for attaching themin such a manner that they may be taken off and renewed whenit is required, without lthe aid of a machinist, and by almost any ordinary operator. i l i 7 is a piece of sheetmetal, bent up at each end, and provided with slots suiciently large to receive the end of the lever A and the upper end of one of the points, and still leave sufficient space for thc insertion and removal of a key, 8, which is slipped in to hold the parts in place. As a further `security, the lever is nicked at 10, and the point gl bent to iit in said nick, to prevent any endwise motion of said point. Another way of attachment is to have the point to slip ina socket, as at 6. The particular way of attaching the points, however, is not important; the feat-ure is their detachability, no matter what the 'particular contrivance by which they are fastened to the lever.

On some fabrics, the points will require to be rspread apart more thanA for others, while,- at the same time, they need something to hold them from being bent out of line laterally, by accident or otherwise. For

. such protection, I have devised the guard L, which receives the points in slots at cach side, the'lower ends of which slots furnish small rests for each one, preventing them from spreading more than a given distance apart.

When additional spread is required, the key, 9, is removed, as shown in dotted lines, g. 1

In ig. 2 is a selisewely clamped fast by the gauge-screw, and isemployed with great advantage in connection with the tuck-creaser. It is not shown in fig. 1, not being necessarily a part of the apparatus proper. To avoid confusion, the guard L and key 9 are omitted in iig. 2. i

In lig. 3, I have shown a lever, A, as formed in one piece, with the' spring, and made fast to the base, B, which is adjustable onthe bed-plate by a screw, M, ina slot, O, inthe base.. The points g g and the ccnstruction ,of the marker would be substantially the saine as shownin iig; 1.

In the'above invention, I do not confine myself to-special construction, when that may be varied without altering the essential attributes of the invention. l Any device, acting upon the marker to move it, and moving through'a longer space than it, in the same interval 'of time, to gain power, would be equivalent tothat described. And any device permitting the ready detachment and4 attachment of the points, for their removal in case of derangement or breakage, would be substantially the same as that described, in any combination thereof, with a lever, or its equivalent, for a creasing-apparatus.

` What I claim as my invention, and desire to secnrc by Letters Patent, is

1. The mode, substantially as described, ofconveying motion to the crease-r or marker.

2. The combination of the means herein described, or the equivalent thereof, for giving motion to the marker, with a marking-device having a xed fulcrum of vibration, as and for the purpose specified.

3. Placing the set-screw for the adjustment of the said lever at the centre of said fulcrum, for the purpose stated. Y

4. The combination, with the lever, having a iixed fulcrum or centre of motion, of a spring, which may be adjusted in elasticity dr power' relatively with said fulcrum.

5.,fl.le arrangement of 'the spring, with respect to the liever and its fulcrum, so that the act of adjusting the lever, long or short, will also adjust the power of the spring, snbstantiailylasand for the purpose spccied.

6. So attaching the points to the lever which carries them, substantially as described, that they maybe readily detached and renewed, or others substituted, as speeied.

7. Guarding and protecting the points, by a movable rest, substantially :1s set forth.

8. The combination, with such, rest of a removable key, to regulate the spread of the points, for the purposes speeiied.

H. W. FULLER. Witnesses :r

EARLE H. SMITH, HUGE B. BROWN. 

